Electric driving-gear for motor-vehicles.



W. H. DOUGLAS. ELECTRIC DRIVING GEAR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 18, 1910.

' Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ATTORNEYS APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1910.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IIVVENTOI? WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS r TE snares ASSIGNOR TO HEALEY &

60., 01" NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC DRIVING-GEAR FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 0st. 15, 1912.

Application filed May 1B, 1910. Serial No. 561,982.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. DOUGLAS, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Bclleville, in --the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented a new and Improved Electric Driving-Gear forMotor-Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The invention relates to electricallydriven vehicles, and its object isto provide a new and improved electric motor drive for automobiles andother vehicles, and arranged to insure proper transmission of the powerfrom the motor to the axle to counterbalis represented in theaccompanying draw-' ings forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate correspondingpartsin all theviews.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the electric motor drive as applied to avehicle, parts being in section; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of thesame. parts being in section; Fig. 3

is a plan view of the same. the vehicle bbdy being omitted; and Fig. 4is an enlarged cross section of the same on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

The vehicle body A is provided with the depending bearings B, in whichare journaled the trunnions C'of a ring-shaped suspension C, engaging anannular groove D formed exteriorly in the casing D of an electric motorD, of any approved construction, and having its shaft D extendinglengthwise of the vehicle, preferably at the center thereof, as plainlyindicated in the drawings. Now by the arrangement described, the motor Dis mounted to turn in the suspension C, which latter is capable ofrocking on an axis extending transversely to the axis of the shaft D ofthe motor D.

On the forward, end of the motorshaft D is secured a block E, bolted orotherwise fastened to the middle of a double elliptical spring F, havingits ends terminating in e es F en a 'in ins G'- ro'ectin from all arm G,sficiired o ii the rea erid of; shaft H in axial alinement with themotor shaft D and mounted to turn in a hearing I attached to a casing Ihaving transversely- .extending hollow arms I for the passage of theaxle J, made in main sections, connected by universal joints with thestub axles of the wheels K to be driven from the motor D. The stub axlesare journaled in knuckles K, mounted to turn on the terminals of thehollow arms I and this particular construction forms the subject matterof a separate application bearing the Serial No. 568,142, for a drivingand steering mechanism for motor Vehicles, filed by me under even dateherewith, so that further description of the same in this specificationis not deemed necessary.

I On the shaft H is secured a worm L in mesh with a worm wheel L,secured to or forming part of a ditferential gearing L contained in thecasing I and connected with the sections of the axle drive the same atthe same or atdiiferentspeeds whenever the vehicle deviates from astraight path and turns to one side. Now by the arrangement described,the rotary mot-iongivcn to the motor shaft D is transmitted by thespring F to the arm G, which in turn rotates the shaft H, and the latterby the Worm L and the worm wheel L im= parts a motion to thedifferential gearing L so that the axles same the wheels K, to propelthe'vehicle.

The bearing I is connected by a casing I with the motor casing D so asto inclose the flexible connection between the shafts D and H, and byconnecting the bearing I with the motor casing D the casing I is free torock up and down withthe motor I), turning on the trunnions C, and thevehicle body A and the motor 1) are free to rock transversely onerelatively to the other, so that all twists or jolts do not aifect theproper transmission of power from the motor to the wheels K.

By having the flexible connection consisting of the double ellipticalspring F, the motor shaft D and the worm shaft H, the rigidity betweenthe parts is broken, and consequently on starting the motor, the springF is gradually placed under tension, to finally turn the shaft H andthus start the vehicle without sudden shocks or jars.

J are driven and with the J, so as to On stopping the motor the vehiclecomes gradually to a standstill, as the spring F 'returnsto normalposition after the momentum of the vehicle is spent.

The vehicle body A is connectedby the usual springs N with. bearings 0held on the reduced portions I of the arms 1 to properly sustain thevehicle body from the axle, as will be readily understood by referenceto Figs. 1 and 2.

Having thus described my invent-ion, I claim as new and desire tosecure'by Letters Patent: 4

A driving connection for vehicles, comprising in combination with thebody and the axle, of a motor, a suspension mounted to rock on thevehicle body, on an axis parallel with the axle, and in which the motoris mounted in a direction transverse to its axis, a bearing mounted torock on the axle and attached to the casing of the motor, a shaftjournaled in the bearing and having a driving connection with the motorand with the axle, said suspension being ring-shaped and provided withoppositely arranged trunnions, the motor casing having an annular groovein which the suspension is received, the body having depending bearingsfor the trunnions.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence

